Book Review: The Marriage Bureau for Rich People

I’ve just finished reading a charming book and wanted to share some of my thoughts with you. I was approached a few weeks ago by a representative from G.P. Putnam’s Sons who wanted to know if I would review a book on my blog. The selection arrived shortly before my scheduled road trip and I knew I’d have plenty of time during that long drive to read it.

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The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is a tale that takes place in India, and although I’ve never been particularly interested in that country, I enjoyed learning about the culture through the pages of this interesting read.

Mr. Ali is recently retired and has been looking for something to keep him busy and his mind occupied. He and his wife live in a comfortable home in a city in Southern India and it’s his idea to start a marriage bureau. The caste system in India is still prevalent and most people don’t marry for love, although love often comes later as it did with Mr. Ali and his wife. Marriages are arranged by another member of the family and many prerequisites must be met before a meeting takes place between the potential bride and groom. Mr. Ali’s bureau turns out to be quite popular. He possesses much common sense, but not enough to know that the fledgling business is consuming every waking moment of his time. It’s his wife who finally suggests taking it easy and hiring someone to help him.

A local girl named Aruna enters the picture as his assistant and as the business grows, so does my fondness for the key characters that Farahad Zama so wonderfully describes. I was especially taken with Aruna whose love and respect for her family very nearly destroys the promise of happiness for herself. The character of Mrs. Ali, whose role in life is that of her husband’s wife, runs the household with the help of a maid who’s going through a bit of a rough time. Mrs. Ali is a sensible and strong woman who would never go against her husband’s wishes, but there are other ways of getting around certain situations. I was extremely taken with her cleverness.

The Ali’s have a son who has become estranged from them because he’s gone against his father’s wishes. In India, you do not disrespect your elders, but sometimes it’s necessary for the benefit of others. Rehman is a freedom fighter and is protesting a major company who has decided to build on land owned by farmers and I found this side plot very enlightening.

The writer’s colorful descriptions of the relationships between the people in this book have earned him the UK’s Melissa Nathan award for comedy romance, and he is the first man to have ever taken this honor.

I found his writing just a tad unsophisticated but perhaps only because it was compared to Alexander McCall Smith for style. I think that over time, Mr. Zama, who wrote the book on a train while traveling to work, will grow into a wonderful writer. And he’s certainly on the right track (get it) with this prestigious award for his first book.

Respectfully submitted by Kate Young.

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Until tomorrow, my friends . . .